Exploder for firing blasts



No mael.)

A. WATSON. EXPLODER PORPIRING BLASTS.

Patented Feb. 14,-1882.

. stout sheet-brass or other suitable metal.

- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALEXANDER WATSON, or sar FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

EXPLODER FOR FIRING BLASTS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 253,649pdated Februaryl l, 1882,

To all whom it may concernr Be it known that I, ALEXANDER WATSON,

of the city and county of San Francisco, State of California, haveinvented an Improved Method 0f Firing Nitro-Glycerine and otherExplosives; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, andexact description thereof.

My invention relates to a novel methodof firing explosives, especiallyof that class known as high explosives, of which nitro-glycerine and itscompounds are representatives; and it consists in the employment of ametallic cylinder having in its lower part an anvil to receive anexplosive cap, while above it a piston or hammer slides within thecylinder, being actuated by a stout spring. The hammer has a'stem orspindle, the upper end of which is Application filed November 5, 1831.(No model.)

upper part of the cylinder has a projection, G, into or through whichthe stem E projects, so as to be secured there, when the hammer is drawnup, by asolder of any metal which is susceptible of being attacked byquicksilver. Over this head a cap, H, is screwed, and this cap has adrop of the metal placed in it, when it is reversed. The head G is thenscrewed and the quicksilver out of contact with the solder or cement. Inthis position the device may remain and be transported with safety.

When it is to be-used the cylinder is turned over and inserted into thecharge of nitro-glycthen lie upon and in contact with the solder, andwill at once attack it, dissolving it, so that secured at the upperpartof the cylindrJWh'eiTflfi'Etih"Ewillbe released and theh'a'niiiii r thehammer is drawn up, by any solder or composition which may be acted uponby quicksilver. A cap screws down over this joint. The; cap has a dropof quicksilver placed within it, and the device is kept bottom up untilneeded, so that the quicksilver may not touch the joint. When it is tobe used, the cap be ing placed on the nipple or anvil, the apparatus isreversed, so that the quicksilvermay' rest upon thejoint, when it willattack it and loosen it, so that the hammer may fall and explode the capand the charge into which the cylinder is introduced. The time isregulated .by the amount of solder or cement, so that it acts like atime fuse or mechanism.

Referring to the accompanying-drawings for amore complete explanation ofmy invention,

it Figure 1 is a view of my apparatus. Fig.2 is

a vertical section.

A is a cylinder, which is preferably made of At 4.0 the bottom of thiscylinder is a nipple or anvil,

of the cylinder. A stem, E, extends upward, and is surrounded by a stoutspiral spring, F,

which, when compressed, serves to actuate the hammer and force itilownupon the anvil. The

will fall, and, striking the cap, will explode it, and with it thecylinder, so as to produce such a concussion as to explode the charge,

the amount of thematerialused as a solder, and this may be so regulatedthat the explosion will occur at the exact moment desired.

I claim as new, and desire to secure by-Letters Patent, is-

1. In a cartridge-exploder, a soldered firing device, in combinationwith a cap or receptaa body of tirercuryforthe purpose of releasing thefiring device, for the purpose set forth.

2. The cylinder A, having within it, the anvil B, the hammer D, and thespiral or other spring F, against which the hammer is forced back,andheld by a solder or cement, as shown, in combination with areceptacle, H, to contain quicksilver, and by which it may be applied tothe solder, so as to release the hammer, substantially as and for thepurpose hereindcscribed.

In witness-whereof I have hereunto setmy hand.

ALEX. WATSON.

Witnesses:

S. H. NoUnsE, FRANK A. BROOKS.

crime or other explosive. The quicksilver will The time of the explosionis determined by into it, so that the apparatus remains reversed Havingthus described my invention, what cleadapted to receive and apply to thesolder

